Foldable treadmill having lifting mechanism

ABSTRACT

A foldable treadmill having lifting mechanism is provided. A base is connected to a running platform through two swing arms. The running platform controlled by the actuation device and the link of a lifting mechanism is upwardly swung on the base. When the lifting mechanism is activated, the link is moved on a support surface. When the actuation device is stretched out, the running platform is lifted and backwardly shifted relative to the stand post. When the actuation device is contracted, the running platform is descended and forwardly shifted relative to the the stand post.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a foldable treadmill, and more particularly to a foldable treadmill having lifting mechanism.

2. Description of the Related Art

As shown in FIG. 5, a conventional foldable treadmill is provided. A running platform 91 is disposed on a bottom base 90. Two sides of the running platform 91 are connected to two sides of the bottom base 90 through swing arms 92. The two sides of the running platform 91 are pivotally connected to a support rod 93 so that the running platform 91 is slidely supported on the bottom base 90. The running platform 91 can be lifted relative to the bottom base 90 through the raising mechanism 94 between the bottom base 90 and the running platform 91 to allow the running platform 91 to produce a predetermined inclination relative to the bottom base 90.

When the running platform of the conventional foldable treadmill is lifted, the raising motor 940 of the raising mechanism 94 is operated to drive the screw 941 to shift the sleeve 942. As shown in FIG. 5, when the raising motor 940 drives the sleeve 942 to stretch out relative to the screw 941, two support rods 93 is forwardly pushed by the sleeve 942. Two swing arms 92 downwardly swing in accordance with the support rod 93. The running platform 91 is downwardly swung to restore. Reversely, as shown in FIG. 6, when the raising motor 940 drives the sleeve 942 to contract relative to the screw 941, the two support rods 93 are backwardly pulled back through the sleeve. The two swing arms 92 are upwardly swung in accordance with the support rod 93. The running platform 91 is upwardly swung to achieve lifting.

However, the conventional foldable treadmill has the following problems.

-   1. It can be obviously seen in FIG. 6, when the swing arm 92 is     driven by the support rod 93 to upwardly swing, when the running     platform 91 is upwardly swung to achieve the lifting. The running     platform 91 is shifted toward a front at a horizontal direction. The     space capable of being run by a runner is relatively reduced. If the     running space is satisfied with an original design, the shortened     length must be compensated during the design of the running platform     91. When the length of the running platform 91 is slightly extended,     the problem of increasing component costs will be caused. -   2. For the design of the raising motor, the pushing force for     stretching the sleeve in accordance with the screw is greater than     the pulling force for contracting the sleeve in accordance with the     screw. For the structure of the conventional foldable treadmill, the     motion of upwardly swinging the running platform 91 is caused by the     pulling force for contracting the sleeve 942 in accordance with the     screw 941. If the running platform 91 that is upwardly swung would     like to be accurately positioned, the support relying on the pulling     force is still not enough. The foregoing problem must be improved.

Therefore, improving the problem of the conventional foldable treadmill becomes an important issue.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the inventor(s) of the present invention based on years of experience in the related industry to conduct extensive researches and experiments, and finally developed a foldable treadmill having lifting mechanism as a principle objective that does not reduce the space for running when the running platform is upwardly swing to cause lifted state and that increases the using space on the running platform so that the length is not specifically increased while designing the running platform. Further, the length can be reduced to achieve the effect of reducing component costs.

A second objective of the invention is that the movement of lifting the running platform is caused by the pushing force of the sleeve of the lifting mechanism in accordance with the stretching of the screw so that it provides excellent positioning and support effects when a runner runs on the running platform.

To achieve the foregoing objective, the invention comprises: a base, two sides of the base having a member respectively, one end of each member having a stand post that is upwardly disposed; a running platform having a pivot portion respectively at the front end; a lifting mechanism disposed between the base and the running platform and comprising a telescopic actuation device and a link, one end of the link connected to the pivot portion, one end of the actuation device connected to the running platform while another end of the actuation device connected to the link, wherein when the lifting mechanism is activated, another end of the link moves on a support surface, and when the actuation device is stretched, the running platform is lifted and backwardly shifted relative to the stand post, and when the actuation device is contracted, the running platform is descended and forwardly shifted relative to the stand post; two swing arms, one end of the two swing arms connected to the pivot portion of the running platform while another end of the two swing arms pivotally connected to the base and located between front and rear ends of the member.

The support surface is a rail, and the rail is parallel the member.

A support component is disposed between the running platform and the base to support the running platform that is folded.

The link comprises two support rods, and a horizontal rod is connected between the two support rods, one end of the actuation device is pivotally connected to the horizontal rod, one end of the two support rods is pivotally connected to the pivot portion of the running platform, and another end of each support rod is moved on the support surface.

The actuation device comprises a lift motor, a screw and a sleeve, one end of the sleeve is pivotally connected to the link.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional drawing according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a decomposition drawing according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a running platform at a horizontal state according to the invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a running platform at a lifted state according to the invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a running platform of a conventional foldable treadmill at a horizontal state;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a running platform of a conventional foldable treadmill at a lifted state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The foregoing and other technical characteristics of the present invention will become apparent with the detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the illustration of the related drawings.

With reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 4, the structure shown in the figures is the embodiment selected by the invention and taken as the depiction and may not be restricted during patent application.

The embodiment provides a foldable treadmill having lifting mechanism comprising a base 1, a running platform 2, and a lifting mechanism 3. Two swing arms 4 are connected between the base 1 and the running platform 2 so that the running platform 2 can be raised relative to the base 1. As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 2, two sides of the base 1 respectively have a member 10, and one end of each member 10 has a stand post 12 that is upwardly disposed.

As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 2, a front end of the running platform 2 has a pivot portion 20. In the embodiment, a support component 5 is disposed between the running platform 2 and the base 1 to support the running platform 2 that is folded.

As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, the lifting mechanism 3 is disposed between the base 1 and the running platform 2 to lift the running platform 2 relative to the base 1. The lifting mechanism 3 comprises a telescopic actuation device 30 and a link 31. One end of the actuation device 30 is connected to the running platform 2 while another end is connected to the link 31. When the lifting mechanism 3 is activated, another end of the link 31 is moved at a support surface 110. When the actuation device 30 is stretched, the running platform 2 is lifted and backwardly shifted relative to the stand post 12. When the actuation device 30 is contracted, the running platform 2 is descended and forwardly shifted relative the location of the stand post 12. In the embodiment, the support surface 110 can be a guide rail 11. The guide rail 11 parallels the member 10.

As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, one end of the two swing arms 4 is pivotally disposed to the pivot portion 20 of the running platform 2 while another end is pivotally connected to the base 1 and located between the two front and rear ends of the member 10.

As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, the link 31 in the embodiment comprises two support rods 310 and a horizontal rod 311 between the two support rods 310. One end of the actuation device 30 is pivotally connected to the horizontal rod 311. One end of the two support rods 310 is pivotally connected to the pivot portion 20 of the running platform 2, and another end of each support rod 310 can be moved at the support surface 110.

As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, the actuation device 30 of the embodiment comprises a lift motor 300, a screw 301 and a sleeve 302. One end of the sleeve 302 is pivotally connected to the horizontal rod 311.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the running platform 2 is lifted relative to the base 1, and when the lift motor 300 is activated, the sleeve 302 is stretched out in accordance with the rotation of the screw 301. Since the lifting motor 300 is fastened at the running platform 2 so that the two support rods 310 stands up in accordance with the horizontal rod 311 pushed by the sleeve 302. The pivot portion 20 of the running platform 2 pivotally connected to one end of the support rod 310 is lifted accordingly and restricted within an arc path swung by the swing arm 4 to achieve the movement. Reversely, if the running platform 2 is downwardly swung relative to the bottom base, the lifting motor 300 is controlled to oppositely actuate, and the sleeve 302 is contracted in accordance with the rotation of the screw 301. Two support rods 310 swing back toward the horizontal direction in accordance with the horizontal rod 311 that is pulled back by the sleeve 302. The pivot portion 20 of the running platform 2 pivotally connected to one end of the support rod 310 is descended to restore the horizontal state shown in FIG. 3.

The invention has advantages as the following:

-   -   1. With the two swing arms 4 and the two support rods 310         connected between the base 1 and the running platform 2, the         running platform 2 is upwardly swung to achieve the lifting when         the actuation device 30 is activated. At this time, the running         platform 2 backwardly shifts at the horizontal direction. By         comparing with the conventional foldable treadmill that         forwardly moves due to the running platform that is lifted, the         invention does not reduce the space for the stroke of the         running platform 2 and further increases the space for the         stroke of the running platform 2 due to the running platform 2         that is backwardly shifted. Accordingly, with respect to the         same stroke space, the running platform 2 of the invention can         be reduced with the length at structure design to reduce the         components, thereby lowering costs.     -   2. The motion of lifting the running platform 2 relative to the         base 1 is caused by externally pushing the sleeve 302 of the         actuation device 30 stretched relative to the screw 301. For the         pushing force, which is larger than the pulling force, generated         by the lift motor 300 with respect to the sleeve, the lifting         mechanism 3 of the invention can provide the greater support         force to the running platform 2 by comparing with the         conventional lifting mechanism so that the running platform 2 of         the invention on the base 1 has excellent positioning and         support effects to steady the running platform 2 on the base 1.

The invention improves over the prior art and complies with patent application requirements, and thus is duly filed for patent application. While the invention has been described by device of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those generally skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A foldable treadmill having lifting mechanism characterized in that: a base, two sides of the base having a member respectively, one end of each member having a stand post that is upwardly disposed; a running platform having a pivot portion respectively at the front end; a lifting mechanism disposed between the base and the running platform and comprising a telescopic actuation device and a link, one end of the link connected to the pivot portion, one end of the actuation device connected to the running platform while another end of the actuation device connected to the link, wherein when the lifting mechanism is activated, another end of the link moves on a support surface, and when the actuation device is stretched, the running platform is lifted and backwardly shifted relative to the stand post, and when the actuation device is contracted, the running platform is descended and forwardly shifted relative to the stand post; two swing arms, one end of the two swing arms connected to the pivot portion of the running platform while another end of the two swing arms pivotally connected to the base and located between front and rear ends of the member.
 2. The foldable treadmill having lifting mechanism as recited in claim 1, characterized in that the support surface is a rail, and the rail is parallel the member.
 3. The foldable treadmill having lifting mechanism as recited in claim 1, characterized in that a support component is disposed between the running platform and the base to support the running platform that is folded.
 4. The foldable treadmill having lifting mechanism as recited in claim 1, characterized in that the link comprises two support rods, and a horizontal rod is connected between the two support rods, one end of the actuation device is pivotally connected to the horizontal rod, one end of the two support rods is pivotally connected to the pivot portion of the running platform, and another end of each support rod is moved on the support surface.
 5. The foldable treadmill having lifting mechanism as recited in claim 1, characterized in that the actuation device comprises a lift motor, a screw and a sleeve, one end of the sleeve is pivotally connected to the link. 